A reflection from Canon Jo

 
‘Within the walls, Portsmouth reminded me even more of the interior of a castle… Much of the enclosed area was given over to market gardens, the town itself being surprisingly small. The street facing us was the only one wholly built up with shops and cottages, the better ones with jutting upper storeys. I saw only one church, down towards the seafront, with a signal lantern on top of its square tower.’
 
That is the how St Thomas’ Church first features in the novel which describes the sinking of the Mary Rose in 1545. Called Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, it is one of the excellent ‘Shardlake’ series. I have re-read it recently, having had a little more time to read than usual lately! The Mary Rose Trust will be attending Sunday’s service for their annual commemoration of those lost from the ship’s company of the Mary Rose on the nearest Sunday date to the sinking on 19th July. It was a privilege to hear last year that, having quoted Heartstone in my sermon on the Mary Rose, the author was told of this by the Mary Rose Trust - since he became well known to them through his research for the novel.
 
‘We rowed out to the Mary Rose. It had been night when I boarded her before, but now, in the fading daylight, I could see how beautiful she was, as well as how massive: the powerful body of the hull, the soaring masts almost delicate by contrast; the complex web of rigging where sailors were clambering; the castles painted with stripes and bars and shields in a dozen bright colours…’
 
Portsmouth features in a number of historical novels, as well as some more recent detective fiction. I have re-read, after a number of years, Philippa Gregory’s Earthly Joys – enjoying her fascinating account of the gardener botanist John Tradescant in the early seventeenth century. I remember reading it long before I came to Portsmouth myself, with its depiction of the irresistible Duke of Buckingham and his eventual murder close by.
 
St Thomas’ Church, as such, does not feature in Gregory’s book, but a notable wedding takes place at St Thomas’ right at the start of one of the early Hornblower books by C. S. Forester. ‘“Repeat after me,” said the parson. “I, Horatio, take thee, Maria Ellen”’ are the opening words of Hornblower and the ‘Hotspur’. The ceremony at the church of St Thomas a Becket is touchingly described, with Hornblower trying to be chivalrous to his unsuitable but love-struck bride, the daughter of his landlady Mrs Mason in Highbury Street. He thinks his naval supporters have deserted him only to find they are ready with a guard of honour outside…
 
‘A small shove from behind by Mrs Mason started him back in the church from the vestry, to be greeted by a roar from the organ. Half a crown for the organist and a shilling for the blower was what that music had cost Mrs Mason… “The sailors are all gone,” said Maria with a break in her voice. “There’s almost no one in the church.” … There was bright sunshine awaiting them at the west door, he could see… Hornblower heard a sharp word and a ragged clash of steel, and there were the fifty seamen in a double rank stretching away from the door, making an arch of their drawn cutlasses for the couple to walk beneath.’
 
I hope that those of you able to rest and take some holiday time over these coming weeks will be able to read and recharge mentally and spiritually, as well as physically. With several summer weddings here over coming weeks, we pray for all who will come to celebrate and make our Cathedral part of their family history – as so many families and local residents have done down the centuries, in reality as well as in fiction..!
 
The Reverend Canon Jo Spreadbury,
Canon Precentor

Highlights this week...

• Saturday Evensong (16 July) at 5:45pm will be sung by the Quintus Imperfectus

• The 11:00am Sunday Service will be attended by members of the Mary Rose Trust

• Sunday Evensong (17 July) at 5:45pm with Installation of Churchwardens and Lay Chapter

Upcoming dates for your diary…

• Portsmouth & Hampshire Art Society Summer Exhibition – Daily from 30 July to 10 August

• Weston Jennings Organ Recital on Thursday – 4 August, 1:10pm

• The Wild Cathedral Sensory Garden – Daily from 16 August to 3 September

Community News

Friends of Portsmouth Cathedral Yearbook

The 2022 edition of the Friends’ Yearbook, which includes an introduction from Bishop Jonathan and articles on many aspects of the Cathedral's life, has been posted to members this week. If you would like to know more about membership or have not received your copy please contact friends@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk.

The AGM will be held at 4:00pm on Sunday 25 September.

Learn more about the Friends →

Summer organ recital with Weston Jennings, 4 August starts at 1:10pm

While our Lunchtime Live series is taking a break for the summer, we are delighted to welcome American organist Weston Jennings to give a one-off lunchtime recital. Weston Jennings is Director of Music and Organist of First Presbyterian Church in Tyler, Texas, and a former organ scholar of Canterbury and Chelmsford Cathedrals. He is now an internationally acclaimed performer, having given recitals in Washington DC, Denver, Oxford, Moscow, Berlin and at many prestigious venues.

Read more →

Anna Chaplaincy information evening

The Bishop is seeking to establish a network of Anna Chaplains to minister to the elderly in local communities across the diocese. A final information evening for those who were unable to attend the other sessions will be held online from from 6:00pm on Wednesday 20 July.

To book your place, and to access the details of the Zoom meeting, click here.

If you feel called to become an Anna Chaplain, or know someone else who would like to do so, then the process for applying to become one is now open. For members of the Cathedral congregation, Chapter will need need to approve your application beforehand. Details of how you can apply and the process involved can now be found here.

For more details of our commitment to Anna Chaplaincy, see portsmouth.anglican.org/anna

New Churchwarden and Lay Member of Chapter

Please join us at Choral Evensong on Sunday for the installation, following elections at the APCM, of Alex Lochrane and Ronald Rabbetts as Lay Members of Chapter and Chris Nicol as Churchwarden and Lay Canon (serving alongside Ronald who is in his second term of office).

We hold them all in our prayers as they serve in these important roles.

Chapter News

Chapter met on Wednesday evening for its last meeting before the summer break. The meeting began with a presentation from David Price, Organist and Master of the Choristers, with highlights from the choir year – the first year since 2019 where, with the exception of a choir tour, there was a welcome return to pre-pandemic ways of working.

Read the full update here →

FIC meets

The Finance and Investment Committee meets on Wednesday. The agenda is threefold: 1)review of financial performance at half year (30 June 2022) and projection to year end (31 December 2022) 2)a review of the performance of Cathedral investments/reserves and 3)a discussion of budget options for 2023.

Around the Diocese

Canon Nick will be preaching and presiding at St Clare's, Warren Park at 10:00am on Sunday 17 July as part of the Cathedral Ministry Team's ongoing support of parishes across the diocese. Also our Organist and Master of the Choristers, David Price, is playing for this year's University of Portsmouth graduation ceremonies at the Portsmouth Guildhall.

Help for Ukrainian Refugees

Our Diocese, working with Citizens UK, has committed to finding 50 hosts for Ukrainian refugees, together with others to befriend and support. If you would like to know more, visit the Diocese website or speak to Canon Nick Ralph.

Foodbank Donations

Many families are feeling the struggle of the recent cost of living crisis, your support of the Roberts Centre Foodbank has never been more important. Following a recent delivery of your donations, the Roberts Centre have suggested the following as being as most needed:

• Cereals

• Long-life or powdered milk

• Tinned food eg. veg, meat, meals

• Nappies

Please bring your donations to the Foodbank collection point in the Welcome Area during the Cathedral’s daily opening hours.

Worship and Visiting

Portsmouth Cathedral is open daily for prayer, services and visiting. Booking is not required for services, unless otherwise indicated. You can find out more about visiting on our website, where you can also download orders of service or find our Covid-19 visitor information.

Visiting Choirs

As our choristers take a well-deserved rest from this week through to September, we thank Cathedral Consort for covering some July services - as well as a number of visiting choirs who will be leading our worship during the Summer break.

All details of their music and pattern of services to be found in our Service List →

Prayers and Intercessions

We remember the following for whom prayer has been asked by members of the Cathedral Community: Tom, Beverley, Richard, Jane, Alan, Amanda, Derek, Lucy, Martin, Jean, Joan, Alistair, John, and all those in need.

Long-term sick including: Alison, Clifford, Christopher, Johnny, Jane, Melissa, Suzy, Bob, Sarah, Izzy, Libby, Andrew, Peter, and Rachel.

We pray for those who have died recently: Canon Alan Wilkinson (RIP).

Upcoming Services & Events

Getting in touch

Please feel free to get in touch if we can help in any way, or if you just want to hear another voice!

Get in touch with us by email to pastoral@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk or leave a message via phone on 023 9282 3300.

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